Turkey call

ABSTRACT

A turkey call having a hollow housing with a top surface and a bottom surface. A slate side is disposed between the top surface and the bottom surface. A wood side is disposed at an opposed surface from the slate side between the top surface and bottom surface. The wood side has a sounding board suspended between the top surface and the bottom surface, which resonates the top surface and the bottom surface. The slate side has a slate disposed thereon substantially coextensive with the slate side. The striker has a strike peg and a block member. The strike peg extends from a surface of the block member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a turkey call for mimicking turkey vocalizations, and in particular, a turkey call providing a greater variety of sounds from a single unit.

It is well known in the art to utilize artificial devices to mimic and attract turkeys at a turkey hunt. The more realistic the sound the more likely the turkey is to be attracted or answer the sound. In order to optimize the number of turkeys responding to a call, a single call must be capable of producing a full range of “turkey voices” from high-pitched cackles to the raspy calls of more mature turkeys.

Turkey calls come in two basic types, a frictional call and a wind call. This invention is directed to improvements in frictional calls. Frictional calls also come in two generic embodiments. There are strike calls and box calls. The strike call, also known as a slate call, utilizes a peg-type striker in one hand and a fixed area square pot having a depth of about one to two inches and a diameter of about three inches. A striking surface, such as slate, glass or metal is affixed to the top of the pot so that it forms a hollow chamber. A striker is usually formed of wood and has a chamfered or a rounded striking end, which is utilized to strike the slate. The size of the pot and the slate are adjusted to affect the volume and pitch of the call.

The second type of call, the box call, has an open-top box and a paddle. The paddle is scraped along the edges of the box-top opening. Usually the paddle and the sides of the box are curved.

These calls have been satisfactory. However, they suffer from the disadvantage that in order to make a variety of turkey sounds, a variety of calls, both box and slate are needed. Accordingly, it is desired to provide a call that overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A call includes a body having a front panel and a back panel in an opposed relationship to the front panel. A top panel and a bottom panel are disposed between the front panel and back panel in opposed relationship to provide a space between the front panel and back panel. A first side and a second side are disposed between the front panel and the back panel. The first side has a striking panel made of a material which resonates at a frequency that mimics the sound of a turkey. The second side has a sounding board capable of flexure so as to vibrate.

The sounding board is offset relative to the edges of the remaining sides to form a recess. The call also includes a striker hanger or striker body, a peg extends from the striker body.

In a preferred embodiment, a storage compartment is formed in the striker body. During use, the striker is scraped along the material side to resonate the material to mimic a turkey. The body is scraped along the wood side to resonate the wood.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a turkey call constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a striker constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 3 is a wood side elevation view of a call body constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the opposed side of the turkey call box relative to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the striker in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference is made to FIG. 1 in which a call, generally indicated as 100, includes two primary components, a box 200 and striker 300. The box 200 includes a substantially rectangular hollow housing 202. Housing 202 includes a bottom side 204, a topside 206, a wood side 208 and slate side 210 opposed to wood side 208. Wood side 208 is slightly recessed (phantom FIG. 5, FIG. 7).

A flexible sounding board 212 capable of resonating is disposed between sides 204, 206 and is recessed at wood side 208 relative to sides 204, 206. Sounding board 212 is preferably formed of mahogany or cedar in a non limiting embodiment. However, similarly resonating woods or plastics may be used. Furthermore, in one embodiment, sounding board 212 is spaced from sides 204, 206 by respective spaces 214 to allow freer vibration. It is also held in place by a tongue and groove or flat locking mechanism 216 disposed at opposed ends of sounding board 212. In this way, wood 212 is suspended within housing 202 and may freely resonate. However, all that is necessary is that sounding board 212 be affixed at either end within box 200 so as to vibrate at a resonance matching a turkey's call when a paddle is slid above it to contact and vibrate edges of bottom side 204 and topside 206. In a preferred embodiment sides 204, 206 are curved as they ascend above sounding board 212.

In contrast thereto, a slate 220 is disposed at slate side 210 of housing 202 flush with sides 204, 206. In a preferred embodiment, slate 220 is coextensive with and butts against sides 204, 206. Housing 202 is closed at ends 224, 226.

Striker 300 includes a striking peg 302 and in a preferred embodiment, striker peg 302 extends from a striking block 304. Striker peg 302 is preferably rounded or chamfered. Striker peg 302 and striking block 304 is preferably formed of wood, in particular. A slate 306 is affixed to at least one side of striker block 304. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, a closed end channel 310 is disposed within striker block 304 and is adapted to receive and store chalk 320 therein. Closed end channel 310 is selectively sealed with an abrasive 324 such as sandpaper, steel wool or an abrasive sold by 3M.

Call 100 is capable of providing two unique calls, the traditional slate strike call as well as a modified box call. In a first use, to create the slate turkey call, slate 220 may be roughed up with abrasive 324, which is removed from closed end channel 310. Abrasive 322 is then replaced into closed end channel 310 and the end is closed with abrasive 324, acting as a stopper. Then, as is known in the art, the user holds housing 204 in one hand with the slate side 206 face up. With the other hand, the user grabs striker 300 and strikes slate 220 with striker peg 302. When sounds are created, it is because slate 220 resonates. Because housing 202 is hollow, the resonating slate 220 also causes sounding board 212 to resonate enhancing the overall sound.

To create a different type of call, the user reverses the housing 204 by flipping it over in their hand so that wood side 208 faces up. The user then grabs striker 300, either by peg 302 or block 304 and slides slate 306 across the edges of sides 204, 206 to resonate sounding board 212. Again, because housing 202 is hollow, the resonating sounding board 212 operates in conjunction with slate 220 to provide a better turkey call sound. Chalk 320 is used to prepare the surface of peg slate 306.

It should be noted that in the above descriptions, wood side 208 was described as including a resonating tongue or reed of wood. However, any material capable of resonating within housing 202 in response to the use of slate 306 across the sides of housing 202 to mimic a turkey call may be utilized. Similarly, any other material such as glass or aluminum that resonates at a frequency that mimics a turkey call when struck by peg 302 may be utilized for slate side 210.

Furthermore, by providing two resonant surfaces at opposed surfaces of a hollow housing, there is a synergy resulting in a better turkey call.

Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out novel features of the present invention as applied to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and detail are contemplated and may by made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is the intention therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention, which as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween. 

1. A turkey call comprising: a hollow housing having a top surface, bottom surface, a slate side disposed between the top surface and bottom surface and a wood side disposed at an opposed surface from the slate side and recessed relative to the top surface and bottom surface; said wood side including a sounding board, capable of resonating, suspended between said top surface and bottom surface; said slate side having a slate disposed thereon; and a striker, said striker having a strike peg and a block member, the strike peg extending from a surface of the block member.
 2. The turkey call of claim 1, wherein said sounding board is spaced from each of said top surface and said bottom surface.
 3. The turkey call of claim 1, wherein said sounding board is recessed relative to a respective end of said top surface and bottom surface.
 4. The turkey call of claim 1, wherein the slate is substantially coextensive with the slate side.
 5. The turkey call of claim 1, wherein said top surface and bottom surface are curved.
 6. The turkey call of claim 1, further comprising a slate extending along a surface of said block member.
 7. The turkey call of claim 1, further comprising a closed end channel formed within said block member and a plug adapted to be received within said channel to close said channel.
 8. The turkey call of claim 1, wherein said sounding board is recessed relative to a respective edge of said top surface and bottom surface, said member is spaced from each of said top surface and said bottom surface and further comprising a slate extending along a side of said block and comprising a closed end channel formed within said block and a plug adapted to be received within said channel to close said channel.
 9. The turkey call of claim 1, wherein said sounding board is recessed relative to a respective edge of said top surface and bottom surface, said sounding board is spaced from each of said top surface and said bottom surface and further comprising a slate extending along a side of said block member and comprising a closed end channel formed within said block member and a plug adapted to be received within said channel to close said channel.
 10. A turkey call comprising: a striker, the striker having a block member and a strike peg extending from the strike member, a slate being disposed on at least one surface of said block member.
 11. The turkey call of claim 10, further comprising a closed end channel formed within said block member and a plug adapted to be received within said channel to close said channel to form a storage area therein.
 12. A turkey call comprising: a hollow housing having a top surface, bottom surface, a slate side disposed between the top surface and bottom surface and a wood side disposed at an opposed surface from the slate side and recessed relative to the top surface and bottom surface; said wood side including a sounding board, capable of resonating, suspended between said top surface and bottom surface; said slate side having a slate disposed thereon substantially coextensive with the slate side.
 13. The turkey call of claim 12, wherein said sounding board is spaced from each of said top surface and said bottom surface.
 14. The turkey call of claim 12, wherein said sounding board is recessed relative to a respective end of said top surface and bottom surface. 